An apparatus for operating a data bus system of a motor vehicle having data bus segments, at least one of the data bus segments is designed to switch from an active state to a rest state and vice versa. In a first step, a communication requirement is detected of a first control device of a first data bus segment in the rest state. If a communication requirement of the first control device is detected, the first data bus segment is brought from the rest state into the active state. If a communication requirement of the first control device with a second control device outside of the first data bus segment is detected, all other data bus segments of the data bus system outside of the first data bus segment that are in the rest state are additionally activated across the board.
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1. An apparatus for operating a data bus system of a motor vehicle, wherein the data bus system has a plurality of data bus segments that change from an awake state to an idle state and vice versa, the apparatus comprising: a device that determines a communication requirement of a first controller of a first data bus segment in the idle state; a wake-up device that wakes up the first data bus segment from the idle state to the awake state in response to a determination of a communication requirement of the first controller, and a device for switching data bus segments which are in the awake state back to the idle state, wherein the wake-up device also simultaneously wakes up all further data bus segments of the plurality of data bus segments in the idle state other than the first data bus segment in response to determination of a communication requirement of the first controller with a second controller outside the first data bus segment, so that all of the plurality of data bus segments of the data bus system are in the awake state, and wherein the device for switching to the idle state switches a data bus segment to the idle state only when a specific other data bus segment has already been moved to the idle state in advance.
A system for managing power consumption in a vehicle's data bus network. The system includes multiple data bus segments (like CAN, FlexRay, MOST, or LIN) that can switch between an active (awake) state and a low-power (idle) state. The system has a component that detects when a controller on a bus segment in the idle state needs to communicate. When this happens, the system wakes up that bus segment. Critically, if the communication requires talking to a controller on a different bus segment, the system wakes up ALL other idle bus segments as well, bringing the entire network to active. After activity ceases, individual bus segments are switched back to idle, but only after other specific segments have already transitioned to the idle state.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wake-up device wakes all controllers, which are in the idle state, of the first data bus segment in response to a wake signal, which is initiated by the first controller when a communication requirement is determined within the first data bus segment.
Building upon the vehicle data bus power management system where bus segments transition between active and idle states, when a controller within a bus segment in the idle state needs to communicate, the system sends a wake-up signal to all controllers within that segment, bringing the entire segment to the active state. This wake-up signal is initiated by the first controller detecting the need to communicate internally within its bus segment.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first data bus segment is a diagnosis bus segment, and wherein the wake-up device also wakes up a second data bus segment on the basis of a diagnosis signal, which identifies the second data bus segment, in response to determination of a communication requirement of the diagnosis bus segment with the at least one second data bus segment.
Expanding on the vehicle data bus power management system, consider a specific data bus segment designated for diagnostics. If a controller on this diagnostic bus segment needs to communicate with a controller on another bus segment, the system sends a diagnostic wake-up signal. This signal identifies the specific target bus segment needed for communication, ensuring only the required segments are woken up in addition to the diagnostic bus, based on the diagnostic communication request.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wake-up device has at least one gateway controller by which the first data bus segment communicates with further data bus segments of the data bus system and which wakes further controllers of the first data bus segment in response to a wake signal, which is received by the first controller, when a communication requirement is determined within the first data bus segment.
In the vehicle data bus power management system, each bus segment uses a gateway controller for communicating with other segments. When a controller *within* a segment in the idle state needs to communicate *internally*, it sends a wake-up signal. The gateway controller receives this signal and wakes up the other controllers *within* that same bus segment, transitioning the entire segment to the active state. This contrasts with communication *outside* the segment, which triggers a different wake-up behavior.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one gateway controller directly or indirectly wakes the second controller of the at least one second data bus segment in response to the wake signal, which is received by the first controller, when a communication requirement is determined outside the first data bus segment.
Considering the vehicle data bus system with gateway controllers, where a controller needing to communicate *outside* its bus segment sends a wake-up signal. The gateway controller not only wakes up controllers within its segment (as in claim 4) but also directly or indirectly wakes up the destination controller on the *other* bus segment needed for the external communication. This ensures the necessary communication path is active, complementing the broader wake-up described in claim 1.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device for determining the communication requirement is designed to determine the communication requirement of the first controller based on a predefined operating state and/or of a change in the operating state of the motor vehicle.
Within the vehicle data bus power management, the determination of a communication requirement of a controller is based on the operating state of the vehicle or a change in that state. For example, starting the engine, shifting gears, or activating a specific system (like headlights or brakes) could trigger a communication requirement, causing the system to wake up the appropriate data bus segments as described in claim 1. The pre-defined operating state triggers the communication.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device for switching to the idle state moves the first and/or the at least one second data bus segment back to the idle state after a predefined period of time after wake-up.
Further to the vehicle data bus power management, after a data bus segment is woken up, it is automatically switched back to the idle state after a pre-defined period of inactivity. This applies to both the initially woken segment and any other segments that were simultaneously woken up due to inter-segment communication, ensuring power conservation. The timing mechanism ensures automatic transition back to idle.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the other data bus segment is a chassis data bus segment.
Within the vehicle data bus power management, and in addition to the first data bus segment, at least one of the "other data bus segments" that can be simultaneously woken up (as described in claim 1) is a chassis data bus segment. This means that, for certain inter-segment communications, the chassis bus, responsible for functions like braking and stability control, is brought online along with the necessary segment, ensuring these critical systems can communicate as needed.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the idle state of a data bus segment, at least one controller of the data bus segment is in an idle state with electrical power consumption, which is reduced in comparison to an awake state.
In the context of the vehicle data bus system and its idle state, when a data bus segment is in the idle state, at least one of its controllers remains powered but in a low-power mode. This means that the controller still consumes some electrical power, but significantly less than when it is fully active (awake), allowing it to quickly respond to wake-up signals while conserving energy.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data bus system has a field bus system from the group comprising CAN bus, FlexRay bus, MOST bus and/or LIN bus.
The vehicle data bus system (where segments switch between active and idle states) uses common field bus technologies. These technologies include, but are not limited to, CAN (Controller Area Network) bus, FlexRay bus, MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) bus, and LIN (Local Interconnect Network) bus. The system can use any combination of these or similar bus technologies for different functions within the vehicle.
11. A method for operating a data bus system of a motor vehicle, wherein the data bus system has a plurality of data bus segments, wherein a plurality of the data bus segments are designed to change from an awake state to an idle state and vice versa, the method comprising: determining a communication requirement of a first controller of a first data bus segment in the idle state; waking up the first data bus segment from the idle state to the awake state in response to determination of a communication requirement of the first controller; simultaneously waking up all further data bus segments, of the data bus system outside the first data bus segment that are in the idle state in response to a determination of a communication requirement of the first controller with a second controller outside the first data bus segment, so that all data bus segments of the data bus system are in the awake state; switching data bus segments which are in the awake state back to the idle state, wherein the switching to the idle state switches a data bus segment to the idle state only when a specific other data bus segment has already been moved to the idle state in advance.
A method for managing power in a vehicle's data bus network. The method includes multiple data bus segments (like CAN, FlexRay, MOST, or LIN) that can switch between an active (awake) state and a low-power (idle) state. The method detects when a controller on a bus segment in the idle state needs to communicate. When this happens, the method wakes up that bus segment. Critically, if the communication requires talking to a controller on a different bus segment, the method wakes up ALL other idle bus segments as well, bringing the entire network to active. After activity ceases, individual bus segments are switched back to idle, but only after other specific segments have already transitioned to the idle state.
12. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium that when executed performs the method of claim 11 .
A computer program, stored on a non-transitory medium (like a hard drive or flash memory), is designed to manage power consumption in a vehicle's data bus network. When executed, the program performs the method of claim 11: detecting communication needs, selectively waking up bus segments (CAN, FlexRay, MOST, LIN), and managing transitions between active and idle states to conserve power. The entire data bus network wakes up when inter-segment communication is needed. After activity ceases, individual bus segments are switched back to idle after other specific segments have already transitioned to the idle state.
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April 11, 2013
April 25, 2017
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